World’s Fastest Shotgun–Winchester SX3

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“Super X3” — get used to that name, it’s synonomous with “superior rate of fire” in the shotgun game. In tactical competitions and 3-gun matches, rate of fire and accuracy are both keys to success. For years the recoil-operated Benelli M1 Super90 was considered the “ultimate” tactical shotgun because of its reliability, versatility, and rapid rate of fire. This editor has personally timed his Benelli M1 delivering 6 rounds in just under 1.5 seconds.

The Benelli is still a fantastic weapon, one favored by SWAT teams and tactical forces around the the world. But when it comes to sheer shotgunning speed, there is a new King of the Hill, and its name is Winchester. The Winchester Super X3, a gas-operated evolution of the popular Super X2, is now the undisputed rate-of-fire leader among scatterguns. Patrick Flanigan, a Winchester-sponsored pro shooter, has set a new benchmark for shotgun speed with his SX3. He fired 12 Win AA 12 gauge shells in 1.442 seconds, timed from first to last shot. Flanigan’s SX3 had no special mods other than an extended magazine. If you don’t believe it, watch the YouTube video.

Of course it takes exceptional skill to stay on target and pull the trigger 12 times in less than one and a half seconds, but Flanigan’s feat demonstrates the rapid-fire potential of the SX3. Consider this, 12 shells in 1.442 seconds is the equivalent of 499 rounds in 60 seconds. That’s close to the 550 round per minute rate of fire of the “Ma Deuce”, Browning M2 50-cal machine gun. Amazing!

Winchester does not yet offer the SX3 in “full tactical” trim like its co-hort, the Winchester Super X2 Practical Mark II. But given its performance, we know some “top guns” who will be fitting ghost rings and extended mag tubes to the SX3. Not only does the Super X3 have unrivaled firepower, but it offers relatively soft recoil due to its advanced “active valve” gas venting design. The SX3 also employs a back-bored barrel design for tighter patterns. For more info, visit Winchester Guns.